3 Ways Your First Period After Baby is Totally Crazy yet Totally Normal

This topic is near and dear to my uterus right now.  I had my first postpartum period last month when my baby turned 13 months and it was everything I remember it being.  Crampy, grumpy, and uncomfortable.  I marked it on the calendar and counted out 28 days when I would normally expect the next one. Here I am 31 days and no period.  My favorite birthy ladies had to remind me it's all NORMAL!  Knowing what's normal can be such a relief.  So here are 3 ways your first period after having a baby is totally crazy and totally normal!

1. When you might get your cycle back varies greatly - There are lots of variations of normal as to when a woman's period returns.  Some women get it back within the first 6 weeks, some go well over a year.  Women who breastfeed their babies are likely to go longer than those who don't, but that's not a guarantee. 

I am one of those women, who, despite doing "everything right" and "following the rules," gets her period back 3 months postpartum. -Kristi Keen, Birth Boot Camp Instructor and doula

2. It can take time for your cycle to regulate - As your hormones shift, it can take time for your cycle to regulate to its new normal.  It may be the same as it was before you had a baby or it may be different.  Both are totally normal. 

 I've had mine back for about 4 months now, and they've all been really irregular when I normally was super regular. -Amanda Sharp, Birth Boot Camp Instructor

3. They may be different than pre-baby cycles - Some women report that their periods are heavier (or lighter!) or they cramp more (or less!) than they used to. All normal. 

They were much less crampy than pre-baby periods, although by now they are almost back to what they used to be. -Maegan Bender, Birth Birth Camp Instructor

Takeaway- You are normal! Bodies and hormones can be crazy!